


The Brain of Edward Nygma and The Riddler

by greenbeannnnnnnnnnnn



Category: Gotham - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Drug Abuse, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Recovery, Suicide Attempt, canon compliment pre 4x14
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-07-01 11:19:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15773070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenbeannnnnnnnnnnn/pseuds/greenbeannnnnnnnnnnn
Summary: Edward Nygma knows he can find no peace in sleep or excessive pill taking. Hell knows he’s tried.





	The Brain of Edward Nygma and The Riddler

Edward Nygma has come to despise the light. That’s only one of the side effects of excessive pill intake. The light makes his headaches worse. Ed feels like every moment since he awoke from being frozen in a block of ice has been just one big headache. A terrible, radiating migraine in his terrible, damaged brain. The brain of Edward Nygma and the Riddler.

While Ed is hunched over on the edge of the bed, running his shaky hands through his hair as he braces himself through a particularly strong wave of tremors, Riddler sits on a chair beside him, rambling off the list of side effects written on the side of one of Ed’s pill bottles. 

“Are you experiencing, trembling extremities?”

Ed shudders.

“Check. Cognitive impairment? Definite check, though to be fair how would you know?”

Riddler laughs and Ed can feel his anger festering deep in the center of his chest. Practically boiling.

“Shut up!”, Ed snaps out of his shivering fit to retort the persona of a man to his right. 

Ed’s sudden movement further disturbs his head and Ed feels as though he could pass out from the burning sensation between his temples. He would wish for a blackout if being unconscious was not so hellish. He slowly lays out on the bed and rubs harsh circles into his eyes. It’s become a habit.

Ed has always been plagued by nightmares in his sleep for as long as he could remember. When he was a child they were about his father, when he was at the GCPD they were about his fear of being alone. After he killed Kristen he relived it night after night, always aware of what he was doing but never able to stop himself. He would have nightmares about missed chances at happiness. 

Since the return of Riddler following the unveiling of his grand subconscious scheme to murder Lee, Ed’s nightmares no longer remain in his sleep. He desperately craves peace of mind.

“Take all the pills you want Ed, I’m only getting stronger. Soon I’m going to be out, and the fun begins!”

Ed is fuming, and he clenches and unclenches his fists in a weak attempt to ground himself. He springs back up into his previous position on the edge of the bed. 

“No! I won’t let you, cause I know what you’ll do.” Ed stares daggers into Riddler, as if a firm tone and gaze I all he needs to stop him. 

“Oh, you mean kill Lee? Yeah, I guess I will do that, and you can’t stop me.”

Thinking to himself, Ed knew he was right. He has always been aware of how useless he is to Lee, because Ed has always known that he is his brilliance and without his brain he is nothing. Before he was an achieving criminal mastermind he was just a socially challenged and insignificant side effect of relentless child abuse. Riddler built his ego. Oswald built his ego. But now he’s reverting back to the mentality of the person he was before he gave in to his dark impulses. A useless idiot who can’t protect his friends. Useless, useless, useless, useless, useless, useless...

“There are things that I can do,” Ed stands up to be face to face with Riddler. 

“Like what? You need to face it pal, the only way you’re going to get rid of me is to kill yourself.” 

Ed’s racing thoughts, jumbles of self deprecation and painful memories swirling in an indiscernible cloud begin to condense into one clean line. Even he can understand that. 

“I guess you are smarter than me.”

**Author's Note:**

> Wow my first fanfic chapter! I feel very accomplished, I know this chapter is very short and I’m hoping to write longer ones from here on out. Thanks for reading :)


End file.
